CLASH OF BLACK AND WHITE

CBW.1: Silverette & The Seven Dwarfs

The faint creaking of the wooden bed and some soft noises roused the silver-haired individual from his slumber. He gently stretched his body and repositioned himself on the narrow surface he had been lying on. This movement only caused the wooden bed to creak even more. He blinked his eyelids slightly, attempting to discern the blurry colors. He closed his eyes briefly before reopening them. The world around him gradually took shape, and the first thing he noticed was an unbelievably low ceiling.

He closed his eyes again, then blinked a few more times before opening them once more. The ceiling was so low that it seemed as if it might touch his head if he were to stand up.

But... why?

Realization fully dawned on him, and he became fully awake. The ceiling in this room was nothing like the one in his own room. He shifted his gaze to his surroundings and quickly realized that he wasn't in his own room at all; he was in an entirely unfamiliar place.

What?

He promptly sat up and surveyed the entire room, coming to the startling realization that he was inside a small hut. His eyes widened as he took note of the miniature objects scattered around the hut.

They were as small as children's toys.

Before Zero could utter a word, the door swung open abruptly, and seven exceptionally fatigued little individuals entered the hut. They were panting heavily and headed straight for the tiny kitchen to quench their thirst, completely oblivious to the speechless silver-haired man who was in shock at the sight before him.

"Hah! I'm utterly exhausted... Would someone kindly provide me with some food?" one of them complained.

"I'm famished as well... Please, serve me something before I drift off."

"Fear not, everyone. I shall prepare a delectable meal for us since we've brought an abundance of fruits and vegetables," one of them cheerfully announced and promptly began cooking.

"Are you genuinely letting this weirdo cook for us? He's dreadfully slow, and I'm unable to bear the waiting any longer."

"Silence! Your loud voices are giving me a headache. We are all hungry here, but it is imperative that we practice patience," another little person scolded, their irritation palpable..

The silver-haired man observed the scene unfolding before him. He longed to say something, but the words seemed to be stuck in his throat.

'This is absurd. There's no possible way this can be real. I must be in a dreamland-or perhaps, Wonderland.'

Then, one of the diminutive individuals approached the bed where the bewildered young man sat. A loud shout echoed through the hut as the little person suddenly noticed the stranger, who gazed at them in disbelief.

"Ah!! There's a human in our hut! A human! This is disastrous!"

The commotion among the little people escalated when they heard the shout, and all of them turned their heads toward the young man. He rose from the bed, albeit painfully (his head bumping the low wooden ceiling only added to his discomfort), in response to the loud outcry from one of the little individuals. The shouting grew even louder as more of them joined in.

"Stop this racket, you troublesome brat! Cease your shouting!" The young man glared at them with a threatening expression while massaging his aching head.

The throbbing sensation wasn't just from the unexpected collision with the low ceiling but also from the deafening shouts. The little people fell into sudden silence when faced with the silver-haired man's intimidating glare.

He carefully settled back onto the bed where he had previously been lying, as he couldn't fully stand without hitting the ceiling. Regrettably, the wooden bed couldn't support his weight, and it gave way beneath him. He tumbled to the floor, though not with much force, as the bed was exceedingly tiny. It was then that he noticed a total of seven beds neatly arranged in a row. He couldn't help but wonder how he had managed to sleep in such cramped and narrow quarters. No wonder he had felt so uncomfortable upon waking up.